At the cost of sounding impudent, I am going to suggest to you my young friends and colleagues a career tip that will make me unpopular, but to my mind is imperative for your professional augmentation—by all means go and work for a reputed organization where the Chairman or CEO remains unchanged for a decade or more, however, after you have spent 5-6 years with the organization, please quit and move on elsewhere.

 

I salute the contribution of certain iconic and ethical companies of the 20th century, which have made a big difference across geographic regions and varied sections of society (external customer included). But I am not sure if some of these celebrated organizations have been fair to the different levels of management (their internal customer) within the organization, because they continued with the same notable individual as Chairman, CEO, Managing Director, President, or Country Head for a decade or more.

 

Professionally managed for profit and non-profit organizations have examples galore, where the individual at the top continues to remain at the helm for a decade and more. Imagine a scenario where the CEO in a particular company is at the foremost job for an extended period of a decade or more. The suite of ‘C’ executives that report to the CEO namely CFO, CMO, CHRO or CIO will have little to look forward to in terms of promotion and would continue to report to the same individual for 3,650 days or more (I am not calculating the additional day in a leap year during this period). The top ‘C’ executives will continue to hold the same title or be shuffled around, and would have to wait for years before one of them is elevated to the coveted premier post of CEO.

 

During this period their families and they will be well looked after by their employers, but after a while this may not be enough for other ambitious suite ‘C’ executives. While, few top executives would candidly or publicly admit to the disappointment of reporting to the same individual for years, a veneered air of frustration will loom around in their minds (rightly so because they may be extremely capable to occupy the key job). The result—the elite ‘C’ club continues to languish in hope and smug satisfaction or quit at an opportune moment for better pastures. A bank of expertise departs with such unceremonious exits and colleagues until yesterday, become competitors at rival companies.

 

Additionally, a wrong signal is sent to different levels within the organization when the CEO remains glued to the top job for many years. The middle and junior management considered the back bone of any organization get their perceived ‘anti-growth’ message—‘We ask you to perform for your employers, but curtail your ambitions. You will make it to senior management, but you should be prepared not to move any further, because even the top management is ‘stuck’ at the same level and continues to ‘strive for years’ without any assurances of getting the prime job (CEO) in an organization. Next in line are the members of the senior management who compete among themselves for ‘years’ to make it to the top management.’

 

The game of musical ‘power’ chairs goes on. At every level, hierarchical layers are added in an organization to retain people and the flat structure turns into a ‘top heavy and senior bulky’ organization structure. Probe further and you will witness that politicking; nepotism and bureaucracy have set in. The organization continues to prosper because of its leadership, branding and rich legacy, as is believed by the CEO, board of directors and its management team. What they fail to observe is the ‘missed’ opportunities, (including, enhanced revenue and profits) that could have come their way had the organization been a better change agent starting with replacement of the ‘man at the top’ at least once every decade.

 

Globally, a number of prominent organizations have lost great minds and talent to competitor companies, because the ‘chief in command’ was around for just too long. While in office, rarely do we see a ‘person in charge’ opt out of the topmost role (after serving for a long period of time) and make way for the second in command (N.R. Narayana Murthy of Infosys in India is a great example). ‘Relinquished Succession’ out of volition is the hallmark of a great leader.

 

After being around as CEO for a decade or over, you chose to pass the baton to your successor and bow out with dignity. Ten years or more at the top with an established organization is a long time in today’s competitive world to ring in a change or make a difference in society. Life is lonely at the top for heads of organizations who overstayed their welcome. As a result, most CEOs reach out to CEOs of other organizations to form their own legion or group.

 

I understand that people today make it to the senior and top management a lot earlier than their predecessors in the 80 and 90s. We have a number of CEOs in our small world who have become heads of companies by the age of 35 or 40. Should they serve one organization for a mere 10 years at the top and quit at 45 or 50? Debatable as it may seem, the answer to my mind is YES. I am not saying we penalize those who make it to the coveted CEO post at age 35 or 40 by asking them to hang their boots at a relatively young working age. I am suggesting that irrespective of age, brilliance, contribution, profile, visibility or caliber, every CEO is replaceable, and should give way to the next in command after serving the same organization for a decade or more. This will foster the strategic long term growth of an organization, enhance governance, abet innovation, lead to superior succession planning, and set true example of leadership.

 

I am not suggesting that you do not work for companies that may be big or reputed. By all means do so as they are a great place to augment functional capability, build a network of smart executives and work on mega projects with colossal resources. All I am recommending is that irrespective of company size or iconic stature; please do not work for more than 5-6 years with an organization where the man at the top has been around for a decade or over, because it will impede your career progression.

 

If big corporations or conglomerates are pragmatic in disposition (they can dump you when it suits them), you too have to be smart. ‘Long serving CEO based’ reputed or large companies are terrific places to make your résumé more saleable (a big brand on your résumé will open many doors for you in the future), so go work for them for 5-6 years, but as a golden rule for the 21st century, please do not spend a decade or longer at such ‘larger than life one-man aura’ driven companies. At the cost of falling out of favour, please heed my unpopular advice or be prepared to risk the peril of becoming deadwood by 2025.

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Pushpendra Mehta is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers.” He is the Director – Marketing & Communications of VCherish.com

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

 

A country which does not provide integral rights to its citizens will continue its jogtrot or slow march and remain a laggard.The essentials which are vital for the prosperity of a nation: Adequate power, water, education, law implementation and security, health care, employment opportunities, infrastructure, sound leadership and governance. A state where great economic divide exists between the haves and have-nots, and disparities continue to increase between the rich and the poor, will harbor anomie, crime, and lawlessness in the long run.

 

A divided nation attains certain heights – “mediocrity.” People of a nation who run down their fellow countrymen’s accomplishments can never become a glorious country. A nation, which does not treat the life of each citizen with dignity, can neither become a great nation nor a superpower.A country which forgets the heroics and sacrifices of its armed forces and law enforcement agencies (including cops), will continue to remain an ordinary nation.

 

No outsider can rule a country till the citizens of that country allow it to do so. A nation, whose claim to fame in different arenas is only through the efforts of individual brilliance and abysmal team work, will never become a country that others would like to model. A nation, where people suffer in silence, allow injustice to perpetrate oppression and tyranny, would never be labeled as a “nation with a voice on the global platform.” And please bear in mind that countries, which exploits its citizens or gives them a raw deal, in turn get exploited by another nation.

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Pushpendra Mehta is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers.” He is the Director – Marketing & Communications of VCherish.com

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

 

Successful leaders are adept at improvisation, ingenuity decisiveness, motivation and resourcefulness. Speed or celerity in methods and execution of plans is a common ingredient found in most great leaders. To attack and to defend are opposite sides of the same coin.

 

Great leaders are adept at devising both pugnacious and defensive strategies. Knowledge of when to attack or combat, and when to step back is imperative for deft leaders. Perspicacious leaders thoroughly analyze both their business rivals, and their strengths and shortcomings. They make all sorts of calculations based on the aforesaid deducements, and as eventual victors, realize the importance of beings paragons of pragmatic patience.

 

The judicious leader looks to master the art of synergy and does not depend only upon individual brilliance. While he uses each man best according to his ability, he does not expect very high standards from the mediocre, the stunted, the obsolete or the untalented. Visionaries or farsighted leaders are monuments of patience, bide their time or play the waiting game, and should not be viewed as shirkers or ineffectual individuals. Timing is the essence of winning, even if termed as late by the common folk.

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Pushpendra Mehta is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers.” He is the “Business, Marketing, Communications, Careers, Creative and Web Consultant” to ‘Young Minds (age 15-45).’

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

 

In the autumn of 2005, I underwent a course on ‘International Business Strategy’ at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. The course was being taught by Professor Daniel F. Spulber, Elinor Hobbs Distinguished Professor of International Business and Professor of Management Strategy at the Kellogg School of Management. Prof. Spulber is the founder of Kellogg’s International Business & Markets Programme. He is the author of twelve books and the founding editor of the Journal of Economics & Management Strategy.

 

You can well imagine how fortunate and blessed I was to be a part of the renowned professor’s ‘International Business Strategy’ class. Because of the passion and expertise Prof. Spulber brought to the subject, now and again, over coffee breaks, I would pick on his brains to enhance my understanding of the dynamics of global business. He was very patient with my inquisitions and his perspicacity on ‘international business’ in the context of international retail, transnational manufacturing, and global services sector was truly exceptional.

 

What was most impressive was the in-depth knowledge he possessed about social, cultural, economic and business practices spanning continents and countries that grace our universe, particularly nations that come up seldom for discussions. The hallmark of an outstanding professor lies in his or her ability to get the class to participate in intelligent and lively discussions. The virtuoso that he is at bringing out ‘participatory and spirited deliberations,’ he made his eclectic class learn more from each other than mere manuals or text book. He dwarfed his attainments to make his students feel very comfortable in his presence.

 

Among other aspects, what amazed me was his comprehension of emerging countries, particularly India and China. His predilection for observing trends in emerging countries that go unnoticed, his recommendation to students to work and travel internationally (particularly in India and China), and his brilliance in observing unique and veneered strengths of different cultures make him truly an outstanding professor of international business strategy and an extraordinary conversationalist.

 

Before my academic sojourn at Northwestern University, I had been part of international consulting assignments, but it is Prof. Spulber who taught me the importance of ‘strategic internationalization’ of one’s avocation, business, passion or interests—be it a salaried professional or an entrepreneur, an actor or reporter, architect or writer, consumer activist or environmentalist, professor or student. To successfully do so, I would advocate and implore every young mind (non-business and business background) to attend a course on ‘international business.’ International business does not connote only competitive strategies, foreign direct investment, economic analysis, market entry, exports or imports. It goes beyond to include an understanding of divergent cultures, their areas of expertise or specialization, and the unique aspects of its products and services. In a small world it makes you think innovation and attain big.

 

The urge to move beyond the domestic or home turf will be important to survive in a spaghetti world, where things change as fast as you slurp the noodles in your mouth. In a digital and knowledge based world, understanding of international business may prove to be your shield or security cover during tough times. When the chips are down and mere survival comes into question, knowledge of ‘international business’ can be your propeller to connect with somebody within your area of interest across the world and start afresh.

 

Even with basic knowledge of ‘international business’ practices, new ventures and unexplored options will open up. Young Minds, you could create jobs and generate large scale employment if exposure to international business perspectives can be attained when young and at your prime. Remember, ‘International attainments overshadow domestic stardom’ (A quote from my first book “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships”). You too could go international with your occupation, interests, commitments and network. And exposure to international business will just make it easier.

 

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Pushpendra Mehta is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers.” He is the “Business, Marketing, Communications, Careers, Creative and Web Consultant” to ‘Young Minds (age 15-45).’

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

 

The younger you are the easier it is for you to walk the unexpected path – strange are the ways of life. The corridor of unconventional risks can come knocking at your door much later in life. You can better handle the atypical perils if you have lived the aberrant risks when young.

 

In the late 1980s, my father Vijay S. Mehta was asked to ‘set up and head’ the credit card division at ANZ Grindlays Bank, India (it used to be the largest foreign bank in South Asia). Until then all cards in India were charge cards.

 

The bank wanted a heavyweight to head the profitable credit card business. In a country where credit was considered a dirty word, telecommunications were at its infancy, access to skilled consumer lending or credit card professionals was almost non-existent, there was no credit bureau or localized credit scoring model, setting up a credit card division (from scratch) to cater to the Indian consumer was a huge risk. As if this was not enough, he was expected to launch a nationwide product with meagre resources. The mandate was to show profits in less than three years. It is public knowledge that credit card business is capital and technology intensive that takes on an average three years to break even.

 

My father was on the horns of a dilemma. He had a cautious corporate and branch banking mindset, and knew little about the credit card business. He was given to understand that managing risks of a credit card business may be more complicated than managing big ticket corporate loans. But he had a choice. He could have turned down one of the biggest challenges of his career and got somebody else to take up the mantle. It was a time when he was well entrenched within the banking fraternity. He had children who were in school. He knew that the odds to succeed were stacked against him and if he botched it, his career would be scarred and perhaps over.

 

While he could turn to advice to his trusted colleagues and friends within the financial services industry, the decision had to be his own. For a long time he felt alone and lonely. It was a tough call. The probability of succeeding was remote and he felt he was inches away from marring his banking career. Yet, the true leader dwelling within goaded him to cut the Gordian knot. He rose to the occasion, took up the challenge and in the late 1980s, successfully pioneered and launched the first credit card in India—ANZ Grindlays Bank Credit Card.

 

Dad can look back with a lot of satisfaction because with the introduction of credit cards, he sowed the seeds for making the life of millions of Indians rather ‘convenient’ be it travel, entertainment and retail sojourns, crisis, emergency and medical management, utility bills payment or education fee payout.

 

Dad has since advised me, “You can take career defining ‘unconventional’ risks even on a job. Uncommon risks are not the sole purveyor of entrepreneurship or a onetime act. However, it is best to take the ‘exceptional’ big risk when young and below 40. If it does not pay off, you would still have 10-15 important years to re-work your career.”

Remember it is natural to play safe, but if you can avoid the herd mentality, stretch beyond what you think is possible and embrace the unusual risk, particularly when young, it will hurt less if it does not work out as planned. However, if it does pan out as envisaged, the younger you are, the more likely you are too be the vanguard of change.

 

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Pushpendra Mehta is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers.” He is the “Business, Marketing, Communications, Careers, Creative and Web Consultant” to ‘Young Minds (age 15-45).’

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

 

I am often asked by college and university students, “Where will tomorrow’s CEO come from?” As requirements vary between industries or business, it is difficult to make an accurate prediction. But if you were to ask me to hazard a guess or make an educated inference, my opinion will not impress most. I am in the minority. Most will say finance, marketing, sales, business development, engineering, production or information technology, but at the risk of being proven wrong, I put my money on Public Relations (PR) or Human Resources (HR). My inexplicable sixth sense tells me that by 2025, a number of big and medium sized companies will have CEOs from the PR or HR domain.

 

With talent management, social responsibility, image management, ethics and corporate governance becoming increasingly important factors for stakeholders (including investors and customers) in an organization, I can envision a future where PR and HR will be treated on par with perhaps, two of the most important (widely regarded) present day functions of businesses– marketing and finance.

 

People make iconic companies and perception makes them credible. HR and PR epitomize these aspects better than any other management function. You can hire the experts i.e. the best CFO to create more wealth, the ablest CTO to develop the most innovative hi-tech solutions, and the smartest CMO to be the trailblazer for cutting-edge, innovative and customized products and services, but for an uncertain, evanescent and fast evolving world, you require a ‘change manager and sagacious human capital specialist’ as a CEO, which to my mind would be best provided by an HR specialist or expert.

 

In a competitive world where discerning individuals decide which organizations to work for based on its environmental friendly policies and customers buy from companies that have adopted social responsibility goals as a belief system, the public relations czar too would be a great choice for the CEO role.

 

It is a fallacy to continue to assume that marketing and finance people know best how to run companies. If this were true, why did the economic crisis of 2008-09 touted as the biggest financial wreckage in decades mar the fortunes of some of the most renowned or iconic companies across the world? Apparent reasons—greed and wrong decisions. Veneered reasons—Lack of visionary leadership and image management skills. Marketing may be my first child and public relations the second offspring, but at the cost of speaking out of turn or shooting myself in the foot, I do feel that future CEOs will come from public relations and human resources domain.

 

It is imperative to demolish stereotypes—‘PR and HR is a soft skill or meant for the weaker sex.’ PR cannot be defined merely as publicity and HR as hiring or recruitment managers. The major components of PR include media relations, investor relations, corporate social responsibility, image management, new media, internal branding and employee communications, crisis communications, issues management and speechwriting.

 

Human Resources go beyond recruitment and selection. It includes, among others, organizational development and leadership, diversity, talent management, training and development, career customization, succession planning, employee appraisals, change management, international HR, and compensation and benefits.

 

I would exhort, every young mind to spend adequate time understanding the nuances of public relations and human resources. Whether you work in the mainstream or non mainstream realm, you will need public relations and human resources skills at some point in time. Irrespective of whether you take the self-employment or the salaried employee route, you will need new age PR and HR skills to build your own brand, your organization’s profile, and augment the development of your establishment’s human capital.

Young Minds, HR and PR are getting hotter by the day. You are requested to remember a cardinal principle—you cannot create an iconic brand without strategic PR and you cannot create a great organization without adept HR. Please remember this equation:

 

Numero Uno People + Numero Uno Public Perception = Numero Uno Organization.

 

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Pushpendra Mehta is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers.” He is the “Business, Marketing, Communications, Careers, Creative and Web Consultant” to ‘Young Minds (age 15-45).’

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

 

Kyle Parker is a successful entrepreneur, and one of the most intelligent young professionals I have met in my life. He attained a Masters degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University, and is president of a marketing and business channel development firm representing manufacturers in the video surveillance and Homeland Security industry. He has served as a broker’s assistant in the US Treasury Bond pit at the Chicago Board of Trade (The world’s oldest futures and options exchange) and was also very active in state and national level political campaigns.

 

Kyle recently founded www.securityspy.tv—a video blog and social networking community for professionals involved with cyber warfare and cyber security. I have admired Kyle for several reasons; primarily because he is an interesting conversationalist—that comes from being intelligently curious, a voracious reader, an eloquent public speaker, and an early adopter of new technology and consumer electronic products. Kyle is extremely open to diverse cultures, and his impeccable sense of humour can breathe life into the dullest gathering.

 

In 2006, Kyle told me, “Playing safe is one of the biggest risks in the 21st century. Just as ships are not built to stay in the harbour, we are not meant to stay where it is safe. We have to face and cross choppy waters to stand tall in a new world where the rules of the game will mandate recurring risks for survival.” He reiterated this sagacious advice to me during my last trip to US.

 

Kyle quizzed me once, “Pushpendra do you know why Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Mark Zuckerberg were able to create iconic brands as Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Google and Facebook?”

 

I thought I knew the answer (I was wrong) and yet I said, “Why Buddy?”

 

His answer was not what I had in mind. It was remarkably simple yet worthy of note. He replied, “Each of these luminaries took risks when fresh and young, when the burden of the word experience was unknown to them. It is easier to take risks when young. Even if you fail, it is better to fail early than late. Young risks do not have to worry as much about reputation. Older risks have to worry about image management.”

 

Kyle and I have often deliberated the concept of early adoption of risks by youth. We have often discussed the pros and cons of exploring unchartered paths when young. We have often cogitated about the importance of moving outside the comfort zone when young. We have often pondered about the impediments of playing safe when young… it provides for a safe haven in the short term, but creates more obstacles in the long run when the world around us changes rapidly and threatens obsolescence. We have often mulled over the journey from oblivion to greatness… and we have arrived at a debatable conclusion, but something we are convinced about—Get out of your comfort zone and take risks – start early, start young. You have that many more years to bounce back or change course should things not work out as planned. And should it work out as you envisaged you will have that many more years to assist or serve your family, organization, community and nation.

 

To my mind taking risks commences with taking small steps to confront your fears. It is ambling towards small measures of indulgence with the unknown. Go back to the first time you were asked to jump in a pool and try swimming. You may have been scared, but you did it. Go back to the first time you were asked to drive a car or ride a bike. You were nervous, but you did it. Go back to the first time you participated in a school play, public speaking competition or a musical show. You were shivering, but you did it.

In each of the aforesaid occurrences, you took a small step outside your comfort zone, you took a small risk, you failed the first time, but you bounced back and learnt swimming, driving, acting, music and public speaking. You managed to acquire new skills because you were in the learning mode, because you were raw, because you were sharp and quick on the feet—all done most comfortably when you are young.

 

One of the best ways to face up to unknown challenges, and take small strides towards a risk-enhancing appetite is to live overseas or internationally for at least a quarter. Preferably, do so when in college or university.

 

Volunteer to teach a language or a creative course, learn a foreign language (Spanish in Spain, Chinese in China, and French in France), study in an exchange programme, work as an intern, backpack and travel by yourself or live with an ‘adopted’ family. There are innumerable options for college and university goers to live abroad for a quarter or semester.

 

Alternatively, if you are an entrepreneur or employed with an organization, look out for the earliest opportunity to work with people from other parts of the world. You will broaden your horizons, learn to spread your tentacles and risks, hone your cross-cultural, networking, relationship and professional skills, get prepared for an increasingly globalized and small world, and remain forward-looking. Remember, learning is a two-way process, and when you work with foreigners, they will also learn and grow from working with you. And if you become friends, future visits to each other’s land will be that much more special and highly cherished.

 

During the early part of my consultancy career, I was fortunate to have worked with some of the brightest minds from North America and Asia Pacific. As I acquired more experience and was exposed to work practices of other countries, I grew exponentially as a professional.

 

There have been moments of anguish, frustration, differences and conflict in cross-cultural assignments, but each time I was presented with an opportunity of getting out of my comfort zone to work with people from another country, I chose to grab it with both hands, because leadership dexterity, cerebral depth, networking ability, communications versatility, art of tact and persuasion, strengthening of functional competence, anticipation skills and operational acumen were heightened and augmented.

 

Spend a quarter with a foreigner on a work project, extracurricular endeavour or academic assignment and you will be a positively different person. Explore these low risk options and it will change your perspective about life. More importantly, it will introduce you to a new person – YOU that you may not be aware off.

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Pushpendra Mehta is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers.” He is the “Business, Marketing, Communications, Careers, Creative and Web Consultant” to ‘Young Minds (age 15-45).’

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

 

* Names of individuals and their organizations have been changed or kept confidential to protect their identity.

 

Atul Sagar graduated last year from a top B-school in United States and even in a tough US economy was able to line up a series of seven interviews for a suitable marketing job. And yes, he did manage to get multiple offers. He finally chose to go with a reputed FMCG company because of its cache, international network and brand portfolio, not to forget the attractive compensation offered to him.

 

A month ago he wrote to me and apprised me of his professional “mega stress” and the resultant negative change in his life. A few days later, I received a “supervisor distressed” call from another B-school alumnus, Ritu Mishra, who is employed with a consultancy company. I heard them with a patient ear and then asked, “Did you undertake the most important interview before you accepted the job?”

 

As expected, the unanimous reply was “NO.”

 

The answer was self-explanatory. They had condoned, perhaps one of the important aspects that determines early professional growth and success – they did not “Interview their prospective boss during the interview process.”

 

Your immediate boss or supervisor is a very important or powerful person. I do not mean your spouse or beloved, but your professional boss. At least a third or more of your day is spent working for a brilliant, good or appalling supervisor. And if you abhor your boss, he or she accompanies you even in your dreams, weekends and vacations.

 

Whether, it is the new age video based or virtual driven “global or national” reporting relationship, or the traditional same location association, you will spend a fair amount of time communicating with your boss. You can only hone your skills and grow if you have an open, comfortable and collaborative working relationship with the incumbent in charge. If he or she creates a work environment of indescribable stress or authoritative dictates, you will feel as if you own a Mercedes, but do not possess the key to drive the beauty. Thus, he or she will merely be a boss and not a leader.

Hence, I always recommended to university graduates and young professionals to interview their prospective or immediate boss before accepting a job offer, because a lousy boss can decelerate your short term career progress in a very competitive white collar market that could take years to recover from.

 

A week ago, during a career strategy session, Vivek Tandon, a young finance professional employed with a reputed bank and hoping to make a job change rather soon, hurled an intelligent inquisition at me – “How can we interview a prospective boss when we are edgy, nervous and eager to get hired. The power equation always skews in favour of the hiring manager or the boss.”

 

I replied, “We forget that just as we are being interviewed for a particular role in a well-known organization, the probable boss and the hiring organization is equally eager to sign up with the best or the brightest. Understanding this veneered significance helps balancing the power equation and reduces the nervousness that accompanies the interview process.”

He quizzed, “How can an edgy or nervous interviewee figure out the likely boss?”

I said, “It may be normal to get nervous, but what can make it easier is to treat the interview process as an opportune ‘discussion and query session’ that will enable you to know more about the job, your immediate superior and the employer, and then arrive at a considered decision.”

Vivek remarked, “What aspects should I try and gauge during the interview process?”

I replied, “The first rule to remember is that the obvious is seldom revealed. During the course of the interview a discerning boss may volunteer information and share his profile, views or background with you. Keep your eyes and ears open to process or analyze information so shared.”

“If that dissemination exercise does not take place, you should towards the end of the interview, politely request the interviewer to tell you something about him or her without sounding intrusive. Your body language should delineate your genuine interest in his or her story,” I added.

“An interesting take. But that may not be adequate to know the mindset of the boss?” Vivek commented.

“You’re spot on. The next step is to build on the information you have received and politely ask the hiring manager certain key questions without being unduly worried about time issues. It is better to quiz in haste than repent soon after - because answers to your inquisitions can “possibly” save you from years of anguish or help you make a prudent pick if you have to choose between multiple offers. Remember, answers to your intelligent queries will at best take another 10-15 minutes and given a mature boss, will get you brownie points as well,” I replied.

 

I shared a check list of significant queries (you can make your own list) with Vivek that I append below for your benefit to ferret the characteristics of your prospective boss and ascertain the “right fit” factor. Read on:

• Your expectations for the job I am interviewing for?
• Your management and leadership style?
• Outside work hours, do you pursue any interests?
• Your favourite book?
• Your biggest attainment?
• Five years from now, where do you see yourself?

 

There is merit to the fact that as is in marriage, until you have spent adequate time on the job with your boss, you will not know the complete truth behind the aforesaid queries. However, even if the boss is a strategic czar or master of the game of selective disclosure, sometimes a succinct explanation or a few words are adequate to figure out the persona of a likely boss or what to expect. You can then decide if your prospective boss and you will be a “suitable fit” for each other or it is better for you to pass the job (if an offer is made) to prevent months or years of anguish.

 

Your first progress point within an organization is your immediate boss. No matter how smart or brilliant you are, if you and your boss are not an “appropriate match,” your short term career will most likely suffer. Atul and Ritu are alumnus of venerated B-schools, possess excellent academic credentials, and considered among the most talented within their cohort. Yet, they have to work for a boss they detest. Had they undertaken “The most important interview,” they perhaps, would have enjoyed going to work and not have to live through the agony of reporting to a dreadful boss for months on end.

 

If you are interviewing for a job today, please remember to interview your likely boss or supervisor. And each time you change jobs, interview the person you will report to. Given the fact that in the 21st century, on average young minds will work across four-five verticals spread through six-seven job changes, practice will lead to proficiency, and what you may not get right during the first few interviews or the first two jobs, may hit the bulls eye with the third assignment. And when you become a “boss,” please do remember to adopt the sagacious words of Ken Blanchard (one of the most influential leadership experts in the world), “In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people…they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.”

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Pushpendra Mehtais a ‘Career Strategist & Mentor’ to Students, Executives and Entrepreneurs. He is the author of “Tomorrow’s Young Achievers,” a book that provides 31 Career Insights to prepare young minds for a radically different tomorrow.

 

Disclaimer: The views and contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media. VCherish.com, its Editors or VCherish Media will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.

Do you know how Sherlock Holmes was born? British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle combined his love of science and literature to write mystery stories and created a fictional detective – Sherlock Holmes. History was made, because Sir Doyle thought differently than others. He fused his interest and skills to give the world a brilliant and memorable detective that appears as authentic and lifelike as you and me. We too can adopt “differentiation” as a mantra and create history.

 

To many, life provides an opportunity to stand out in a crowd, away from the herd mentality. However, a number of individuals prefer sticking to a ‘followers or flock’ mentality because it provides for a safety net. The caveat, a safety or comfort net does not lead to eminence. We are all unique in our own way, and the trick is to first find an ‘innate or acquired’ talent or skill, and then adopt an ‘uncommon’ approach to make it a profession or avocation to attain inimitable success. But you can explore your talent and gifts, only if you know yourself – your strengths and weaknesses. The way to this is to reflect on your aptitude and seek feedback from a ‘neutral or independent’ voice i.e. your teacher, professor, coach, instructor, or a career strategist. When you discover what you are made for, you may follow it with oodles of zeal and pursuit of unusual methods.

 

Observe outstanding artists and performers. They are great examples of individuals who developed a skill or talent, which is ‘difficult to replace or scarce to find.’ Scarcity creates value, and makes it worth more than its weight in gold. You can start by getting noticed through a quality, trait, strength, skill, discipline, or involvement in a series of ‘discerning’ activities to court positive attention. Your statement of difference will start right away.

 

Across different arenas, accomplished individuals do things out of the ordinary, and overshadow their colleagues or predecessors. For them doing well is not enough. They take new paths. They charter their own course by conjuring a ‘visible’ behaviourial, cerebral, physical, discipline or skill set difference. They build on the difference by taking advantage of creativity, innovation, visuals, images, symbols, substance, and style. They do not walk in the moccasins of somebody else, but carve their own niche through novel measures and rejection of the routine.

 

The ‘master’ of the art of differentiation challenges assumptions and believes everything is possible, even if there is a one percent chance to ignite a fire. He or she adopts continual improvisation and ingenuity in their acts. As monuments of patience, they know Rome was not built in a day, and believe that small steps towards continuous differentiation leads to extraordinary success in time to come. Nothing stirs a person more than recognition of his or her being ‘truly’ different. You can be famous, but being different calls for a penchant for experimentation and an ability to laugh at your mistakes and failures. Remember, the more you experiment for a purpose, the better you will become at the act of mastering differentiation.

 

Following the herd is another name for mediocrity. You are in your own way unique and different. Know yourself and discover your key to success – differentiation. If you do not like what I pen, reflect on the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer’s sagacious words, “We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves to be like other people.”

 

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Pushpendra Mehta is a Career Strategist with VCherish Consultancy. He is the author of “Win the Battles of Life & Relationships” and also a “New Age” Marketing, PR & Communications Consultant. Watch this space for his second book that is dedicated to Young Minds.